A Cole Sprouse Fanfic - An Unreal Escape
by aviumfemella
Summary: When Julie moves to NYC she meets an unexpected former celebrity. Now she's sudddenly not so alone as she thought she would be.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

As I stood there, in the middle of New York Times Square, I didn't know what was in wait for me. I didn't know how lucky I was.

…

It was September 4th and I had just arrived at JFK airport a couple of hours ago. Today was the beginning of a new chapter in my life. And I couldn't wait. The whole thing was both scary and exciting at the same time. I had just finished high school at home in Copenhagen, Denmark. Before I would continue school and start university I thought it would be nice to take a gap year. It was pretty common at home: people would work or do charity in second world countries. I wanted to be a writer or maybe a journalist? I wasn't sure. What I knew was that you couldn't be a great writer if you didn't have any experience to draw inspiration from. My life hadn't been exciting at home. At all. I had never had a boyfriend, this was really embarrassing, but I hadn't even kissed a guy. I was eighteen soon nineteen years old and what made it more embarrassing was that it wasn't even out of choice. I wasn't religious or saving myself for the one and only, I had just plain simply never had the opportunity. It wasn't because I was really ugly or unlikeable, but I was an introvert and frankly quite shy. But I was trying to change that. That was one of the reasons why I now stood here, in the middle of one of the biggest cities in the world, completely alone.

Today was a cold day. I could tell it had rained before I arrived, but now it was just freezing and the sky was completely grey. I wore a stylish orange jacket, which matched my brown hair and felt like I fitted in in the New York scene. With me I had my black suitcase, ready to check in at my hotel. As soon as I found it that was. It was my intention to get an apartment, I had to be here for a year for fuck's sake, but my decision to move here had been rather quick and erupt. And how does an 18-year-old get the money to have an apartment in NYC you may ask? She surely must have rich parents to pay for her. Well yes. I didn't grow up rich, but last year my dad sold his IT-company for a great sum of money to no other than fucking Google. It had come out of nothing and now we were millionaires. It was really unexpected and weird and this trip was also a way for me to escape the madness. You won't believe in how many was your life change, because of stuff like that. Especially your friends or people who now want to be your friends. Well this was my escape, and it was on fucking time.

My hotel should be rather close to New York Times Square, that's why I told the cap to stop here. I wanted to see what it looked like and I couldn't wait. Surely it would be easy to find the hotel from here, right? No, I was so wrong. Finding directing has always been my weakness. Like I'm so bad. That's why it wasn't so much of a surprise when I ended up somewhere completely different from where my hotel was. I tried to go back, but that didn't help at all. I was lost and my phone had run out of battery. I wanted to cry, but I didn't. I just had to ask someone for direction. I looked around me, but everyone passing seemed in such a hurry it felt impossible to stop them. The street I was one was narrow and not that populated. It was all apartments so I couldn't even go to a store and ask for direction. I felt so lost and defeated standing in the middle of the street with my new jacket and suitcase. Suddenly I didn't feel like belonging anymore. When I thought it couldn't get any worse, the rain broke out again. I honestly didn't know what to do when a kind voice spoke behind me: "Hey, do you need help?". I shockingly turned to the side and saw a guy stand in front of me. First I didn't recognize him, but then it came to me. It was Cole Sprouse. I was sure, but it felt so strange that I doubted myself. "Yes please" I swallowed. Then smiled, "Can you tell me where The Hiltion Hotel is?". I felt so stupid, asking Cole Sprouse the actor of The Suite Life taking place in the "Tipton Hotel", where the Hilton Hotel was, felt like a joke. He laughed. Maybe he thought I was joking too. But my desperate expression probably gave me away. "Sure I can" he then said. His hair was clinging wet to his face from the rain and framed his pretty features perfectly. I felt like I was going to melt even though I was freezing. He began walking and signaled me to follow. I did.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"My name is Cole" he said and looked at me with a half smirk. Be casual, I told myself. Even though every muscle in my body was tense. "Yeah, I know" I said laughing. God, I felt stupid. "I mean, of course I do.." I felt like face palming myself. Quickly I tried to recover the situation: "I'm Julie". "I have just arrived here from the airport, but I'm not so good with direction so I got lost." I smiled apologetically. "Well, New York is a tricky city to navigate in" he said, "let's take a break in a café until it stops raining. You look like you're freezing." I was, but I felt embarrassed that he noticed. The café was small, but nice. We sat down in some brown leather furniture and ordered our coffee. I felt awkward now actually sitting face to face with him. I didn't know what to say, and when I got a look at my reflection in the window I shifted. My hair was soaked and clang to my face in an, oppose to Cole, very unsexy way. At least my mascara was holding up. If it hadn't I would probably had died right that second. We got our drinks and Cole let out a satisfying breath. "So," he said as he made himself more comfortable in the chair. "Where are you from?". I finished a sip of my warm coffee. "Denmark" I said, his eyes looked surprised for a second, then he smiled. I elaborated: "Copenhagen to be precise. I just finished school and I'm now taking a gap year here."

"Really? I wouldn't have guessed. You sound perfectly American to me." He took a sip of his coffee, but kept eye contact.

"Thanks, I'll have to thank Youtube and television for that" Why did I say that? It was true, but sounded so nerdy. I sat in front of former TV-star Cole Sprouse for fuck sake, and here I was talking about Youtube!

"Interesting", he said, "I have always wanted to go to Denmark. It should be really beautiful and you know, feel the bern." Now it was his turn to sound a bit nerdy, which made me smile and a lot more comfortable. Also this was a topic that interested me.

"You totally should. It was a shame he didn't become your president." "I frankly don't get why you can have a guy like Trump be a presidential candidate, but Sanders is apparently too crazy." I knew he liked Bernie, because I followed him on Twitter. I didn't tell him that.

"That's the thing about America; our crazy are more crazy than our sane are sane. It's sad." He looked out of the window. I liked the topic, but it felt weird talking about politics with someone you hardly knew. I didn't want to offend him either.

"Well, at least it was a big step for you to actually have him have as much support as he did. Maybe in four years, people has gotten smarter."

"Yeah, maybe." He slowly looked back at me, giving me the elevator eyes. I had removed my wet coat and was now only wearing a tight black leather skirt and a thin blouse. Luckily, I had changed in the airport after my 12-hour-flight.

"Thanks for helping me." I said shyly, but genuine. I don't know what I would have done without him.

"You're welcome. You looked so lost, I couldn't help myself." Geez, of course he noticed. I knew I couldn't get a guy like him, hell I couldn't even get a normal guy, but at least I had the fantasy.

We finished our coffee and proceeded to the hotel. As we stood in front of the great building, Cole turned to me: "So, we here."

"Yeah, again thank you. I don't know how I missed it before. I must have been blind. Just look how big that sign is!"

He laughed, like hard, he even tilted his head back. I could feel the butterflies in my stomach. He was so dreamy. "I'm glad you couldn't find it on your own. Otherwise I wouldn't have had the chance to meet you." "Plus, now I also know where you live." He looked me deeply in the eyes.

I didn't know how to speak. It was as all the words had suddenly disappeared and my mouth went limp. The only thing it wanted to do was to be put on his. Of course I couldn't do that. He probably meant what he said in a friendly way anyway.

"Well, you can be my first friend in NYC then", my only friend I silently added.

"I'd love to", he gave me his phone and I added myself as a contact. He smiled. "See you later Julie." As he walked away I stood there in front of the great Hilton Hotel as I was paralyzed. I was prepared to wake up in the plane, as all this had been a dream, but I didn't. Because it was real.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

It had been three days, and I had gotten a lot more comfortable in my for now home in the Hilton Hotel. Cole had invited me to hang out with some of his friends in some sort of club called The Red Lounge. I had tried my best to google what kind of establishment it was, how formal and what not, but I didn't have much success. I ended with a compromise: something semi-formal/casual. For me that was a simple black dress and slightly more make up than I would normally wear. I contoured the hell out of my face to be precise.

It was 9:30 pm, the exact time for us to meet up and I now stood in front of a huge building. The club was the penthouse at the top. I had planned to be a little late since I was the, for what I knew, only new person at the gathering. Saying I was nervous was an understatement. But I knew this was my chance for not only getting to know Cole more, but also actually getting friends in this city. This had to go well. I walked in to the beautiful reception and walked into the elevator. I pressed the button for the right floor and squeezed my purse real hard as a form of therapy. As the doors opened I was welcomed by a dimmed light room with what appeared to be very expensive furniture. A receptionist greeted me and asked for my reservation. I didn't know what else to say than "Sprouse", but apparently it worked and she gave me direction to the back of the club. A group of about seven people were sitting at table in a corner of the room. That included Cole, his brother Dylan, Dylan's gorgeous model girlfriend Dayna (whom I had stalked on Instagram), two other beautiful girls and a couple of guys. The guys had a more hipster/nerdy look to them and didn't look as intermediating as the girls. Nevertheless, I was frightened. This was not my normal scene, but I did my best at smiling and looking confident as I reached the table. When Cole noticed me his face lit up.

"Everyone! This is the girl I've been telling you about." Everyone looked at me, nodding and greeting me. I did my best to do the same. "Come sit beside me." Cole said and I sat down on the couch by his side. "Julie is from Denmark," he proceeded, "I want to go there so bad for my photography". And from there on the conversation flew. People had been slightly drinking and I even ordered some scotch for myself, in spite of never have tried it before, because it seemed to fit the atmosphere. The fact that people were slightly drunk made the whole thing a lot easier and I ended up actually letting loose and having fun. His friends were actually not scary at all even the women. Dayna was really sweet, and I could tell she went out of her way to make me feel included. Dylan was super funny too, and him and Cole together were hilarious.

"Excuse me, I have to go to the bathroom" I said, we had talked for hours and alcohol had the effect on me that it really made me bursting to pee. "Right my words, I'll go with you." Dayna said and we walked to the ladies' room together. After a quick pee, we reunited in front of the mirror.

"I really think he likes you, you know?" Dayna said, while refreshing her make up.

"Who, Cole?" I said, feeling my heart beat slightly faster.

"Yes of course! You won't believe how he talks about you. The day after you met, he went straight to me and Dylan's place and told us about you." I blushed and she laughed.

"I didn't think it was anything special. For him at least." I really didn't. Why would I be any different from any other girl for him? I bet he could have anyone. Just taking a look at his friends and I felt bad about myself.

"You don't know how it's like. Cole is a good guy, when he sees someone lost in the middle of New York, he's going to help. He forgets that he's famous and most people freaks out and calls TMZ and what not." Dayna took a pause applying liquid lipstick. "He may not be as famous anymore, since he has aged a lot since Zack and Cody, so he's for the most part able to walk around unrecognized," I felt bad, I wouldn't live like that, "but people always realizes it sooner or later." She turned to face me directly and put her hands on my shoulders: "You treated him like a person. Despite knowing who he was. So yes, you were special."

I smiled; inside and out. "I was just myself."

"He could feel that," she said as she smiled back at me, "You're super sweet and funny and beautiful". I could tell she was a bit tipsy. "You're gonna be a couple just wait and see. I have already called it." She put her arm around me as we walked back to the table.

I don't know if I was imagining this, but it felt like they were talking about me as we returned. The conversation slowly died down and Cole stood up. "Care if I walk you home?" He said reaching out his hand. "I'd love that", I said and for the first time, as I took his hand, we touched. It felt magical. I don't know if it was the fact that I had never touched a guy before, or the fact that the guy was Cole Sprouse, but it couldn't have been better.

As we stood in the elevator the yellow lights combined with the alcohol made this whole situation feel the more unreal. He looked at me and it made me feel so special and self-conscious at the same time.

"I wish I had my camera." He said.

"And why's that?" I asked.

"Because you look so beautiful right now and I wish I could capture it."

"Well, you'd be disappointed, because I don't look very good I pictures." It was sad, but true.

"Maybe you just haven't taken the right ones." I didn't know how to answer that.


End file.
